How to answer "What are your salary expectations?" — without underselling yourself

This question makes people freeze, because it feels like a trap: say a number too high and you're out of the running, say one too low and you've quietly cost yourself money for the entire time you hold the job. The good news is it isn't actually a trap if you walk in prepared. It's a negotiation checkpoint, and the candidates who handle it well have simply done the homework before the question ever comes up.

Why interviewers ask it

Mostly it's a practical filter, not a test of your poker face. Companies ask early to confirm your range overlaps with the budget for the role before either side invests more time. Some recruiters are also gauging how well you know your own market value — vague or wildly unresearched answers read as inexperience, regardless of how strong the rest of your background is. Very few interviewers ask this question hoping to lowball you; most just want to avoid a mismatch three interviews from now.

The framework: Research, Range, Reasoning

1. Research. Before the interview, find the real market rate for this role, level, and location — job-leveling sites, recent postings with disclosed ranges, and your own network are all fair game. Walk in with a number, not a guess.
2. Range. Give a range, not a single figure, anchored near the top of what your research supports for someone with your experience. A range gives the employer room to work with while still setting your floor where you want it.
3. Reasoning. Briefly justify the range with something concrete — your experience level, the scope of the role, or comparable offers — so it reads as informed, not invented. Then, if it's early in the process, it's fair to ask about their budgeted range in return.

The order matters. Skipping straight to a number without reasoning invites a counter-offer with no anchor behind yours; leading with reasoning first makes the number that follows feel earned rather than arbitrary.

A worked example

"Based on my research for this level of role in this market, and my six years of experience leading similar projects, I'm targeting a base in the $115,000 to $130,000 range. That said, I want to make sure this is the right fit on both sides first — could you share the budgeted range for this position so we're aligned?"

Research (a real range, not a guess) → Range (anchored high, not a single fragile number) → Reasoning (years of experience, comparable scope) — then a redirect back to the employer, which keeps the conversation collaborative instead of adversarial.

If they push you to go first

Sometimes a recruiter will insist on a number before sharing their own budget. It's fine to hold your range and add one honest line: "I'd rather understand the full scope and the budgeted range first, but if I have to give a number today, it's the range I mentioned." You're not being evasive — you're being clear that the number is a starting point for discussion, not a final offer.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Giving a single number with no range. A lone figure gets treated as a ceiling, never a floor — always give yourself room.
• Anchoring too low out of fear of pricing yourself out. Employers rarely raise your own number for you; the range you state is usually the range you negotiate from.
• Skipping the research. A number pulled from thin air is easy for a recruiter to dismiss and hard for you to defend.
• Refusing to give any number at all. Total deflection ("I'm flexible, whatever's fair") wastes the interviewer's time and often reads as unprepared rather than easygoing.
• Forgetting total compensation. Base salary is one piece — equity, bonus, and benefits can matter just as much depending on the offer.

The bottom line

"What are your salary expectations?" rewards preparation, not bravado. Research the real market rate, state a range anchored near the top of what you can defend, and back it with concrete reasoning. Candidates who walk in with a number already researched are the ones who negotiate from strength — everyone else is negotiating from guesswork, and it shows.

Related: Why should we hire you? · What motivates you? · What is an AI interview copilot?